The following are shortened versions of recent full-length restaurant reviews. The date the original review ran and its overall rating is in parentheses. If there are more stars than dollar signs, consider it a good value.

AMERICAN

900 Grayson, 900 Grayson St., Berkeley. 510-704-9900. Concealed in a little red building is casual dining with an oasis of scrumptious breakfast and lunch fare. Classic American fare meets pizazz (buttermilk waffles topped with spicy fried chicken and cream gravy) and a few sophisticated touches (salad with omelet). Exquisite soups and salads blend fresh ingredients and new dimensions of texture. Despite a laid-back vibe and harried service during rush periods, the food shows a refined hand in the kitchen. $$. (HHH on 11/14/08)

Bo’s Barbecue, 3422 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. 925-283-7133. In a recent tour of barbecue joints, we once again voted William “Bo” McSwine the East Bay’s pit master. He knows how to render stubborn, meaty spareribs tender. Not soft, not boiled senseless, but coaxed through gentle heat and subtle smoke to a succulent state. The brisket, after 18 hours in the smoker, develops a thick black crust, forming a shell that locks the heat inside. Whether you hang out on the cushy couch waiting for a to-go order, swing by on a Thursday for a little free jazz or watch the world go by on the outside patio, Bo’s remains our top pick for barbecue — and beers; his bottled selection is second to none. Cash only. $$. (HHH½ on 5/23/08)

Burgermeister, 2319 Central Ave., Alameda. 510-865-3032. Burgers at this family-owned restaurant are the real deal. Here, you will find all-natural, high-quality Niman Ranch beef, cooked to order. Customized toppings include Applewood smoked bacon and sauteed mango, but the classic cheeseburger remains the most popular choice. The MeisterBurger is a mega-meal. Even the non-burger BBQ chicken sandwich is done up right. Milkshakes are made from Tucker’s Ice Cream, a beloved Alameda institution. It’s definitely a high-end burger joint, so expect a hefty tab. $. (HH½ on 3/6/09)

Camino, 3917 Grand Ave., Oakland. 510-547-5035. Former Chez Panisse chef Russell Moore’s pedigree draws national attention to this new venture, but what makes Camino so intriguing is the fresh food cooked in a fireplace or wood-burning oven. The ingredient-driven menu changes daily (diners can phone in after 2 p.m. to hear the night’s offerings), and for some may be too limiting with roughly five starters and three entrees. The long communal tables make it a place best suited for those willing to go with the flow. Camino could be classified as a destination restaurant, but on weeknights, it has the sincerity and familiarity of a neighborhood spot. $$$. (HHH on 9/12/08)

Chow, 445 Railroad Ave., Danville. 925-838-4510. Versatility is key for both décor and the restaurant overall, as if the goal is to create a place that feels welcoming to all types at all times. The space is perfectly suitable for a big rowdy group, but equally comfortable for a single diner. Chow’s straightforward comfort food menu is conceptually strong. With more snacky items and appetizers, the Danville Chow varies a bit from the one in Lafayette. Pastas and salads fare particularly well in this kitchen. $$. (HHH on 11/07/08)

City Bistro, 30162 Industrial Parkway, SW, Hayward. 510-429-8600. Looking for a classic New York deli in the East Bay? City Bistro delivers with an ambitious amalgamation of deli soups and sandwiches, diner classics and several bistro-type entrees. Brunch is served all day. It feels more like a diner than a bistro, but portions are generous, latkes are delicious and dedicated deli lovers will love the New York authenticity of the super-sized sandwiches. $$. (HH on 2/20/09)

Eddie Papa’s American Hangout, 4889 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton. 925-469-6266. Co-owner Ed Westmoreland named the place for his granddad, a man with a perennial fascination for America’s food culture. Indeed, the restaurant is a remarkably well-researched homage to American cooking, with monthly specials culled from a different region of the country. The space is an appealing mix of clean design and softly stated nostalgia. And even though the regional-historical concept sometimes overwhelms the menu, which is too large to ensure that every single item sparkles, chef-partner Neil Marquis’ cooking is full of easy-to-like flavors with family appeal. Open daily for lunch and dinner with brunch on the weekends. Full bar. $$. (HH½ on 5/30/08)

Esin, 750 Camino Ramon, Danville. 925-314-0974. The family-run eatery has moved and upgraded to a sleeker look, while retaining its savory fare and decadent house-made desserts. A few dishes hearken back to co-owner Esin DeCarion’s homeland, Turkey, including the popular meze platter and phyllo-wrapped chicken breast. The food is fresh, unpretentious and made from high-quality, often local ingredients. Not every dish is polished, but the human effort is palpable and compelling. Despite the fancy new digs, it hasn’t lost the family touch. Don’t forget to save room for dessert. $$. (HH½ on 9/19/08)

Garre Cafe, 7986 Tesla Road, Livermore. 925-371-8200; www.garrewinery.com. With its outside patio with beautiful vineyard views and its unpretentious menu, service and décor, Garre Cafe offers a casual and affordable take on wine country dining. Chef Ty Turner, who has guided Garre’s culinary growth for a decade, has a good palate, but his overly ambitious menu often falls short. While the entree salads on our visits were uniformly good, a pasta at lunch and the prime rib at dinner had some glaring flaws. Garre is popular for parties and weddings (evident by the cafe’s well-worn workaday plates and chairs). Open daily for lunch; dinner on Fridays in the summer. More than a dozen Garre wines offered by the glass and bottle. $$. (HH on 6/20/08)

Kinder’s, 1831 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. 925-952-9393; www.kindersmeats.com. This mostly Bay Area chain rules the roost with its tender ball tip sandwich. Everyone from high school students to business people line up for this Kinder’s favorite. Other options include ribs, hot links and grilled chicken sandwiches. This isn’t a typical vegetarian haunt, but salads and a vegetarian sandwich are available. Sides such as macaroni salad and BBQ beans are just average. They also offer an enticing meat counter with cut-to-order meats and a hefty carry-out business. $. (HH on 8/29/08)

Mario’s Steak and Chophouse, 186 Maple St., Livermore. 925-292-9108. The interior is well-appointed. The service is excellent. But when you’re paying $30 or more for steak, you expect flavor and tenderness, especially when the menu promises as much. Instead, the New York steak was not evenly cooked or adequately seasoned; the prime rib was tough and tasted previously frozen; and the pork chop topped with caramelized fresh apple glaze was dry and short on glaze. No entree was worth the price. Still, the appetizers, soup and salad were tasty, salvaging some of the meal, if not our pocketbook. $$$. (HH on 10/3/08)

San Franciscan, 1525 North Main St., Walnut Creek. 925-934-4831; www.thesanfranciscanrestaurant.com. Revisions to the menu are making it a little less overwhelming, while adding more crab and shrimp options. San Francisco-inspired dishes are still a staple here. Favorites include the teriyaki skirt steak and coconut shrimp. What really works are the varied dining options with a quiet formal dining room, lounge-type eating area and patio seating. Live music most nights has upped the entertainment value. Not everything works — butcher block paper over the tablecloths, for one — but the food scores high marks and the ambience makes it easy to settle in over a cup of coffee or tea. $$$. (HHH on 12/19/08)

Sidebar, 542 Grand Ave., Oakland. 510-452-9500; www.sidebar-oakland.com. Former ZAX Tavern chef-owners Barbara Mulas and Mark Drazek now dish at Sidebar, a new gastro pub in Oakland’s Lake Merritt District that casts fancy spells on classic comfort foods. Try the Brined & Grilled Double Cut Pork Chop ($17), brined for two days in clove, anise, sugar and two peppers and then grilled to order over a ragout of soft, bacon-spiked cannellini beans. The Oven Roast Poussin ($18), a baby chicken, gets its kick from a marinade of fennel pollen and mustard seed before it’s seared and finished in the oven. For dessert, try the ever-comforting Almond Joy ($6.50). Drazek’s twist on the candy bar comes as a flourless chocolate cake topped with coconut ice cream, whipped cream and caramel sauce. Most starters are generous and worth their price except the crab-topped Deviled Eggs ($9). You’ll be wondering where your fourth half is when the 1½ eggs hit your table. ($$ HHH on 4/10/2009)

Sideboard, 411 Hartz Ave., Danville. 925-984-2713. The quaint restaurant is a cross between a European cafe and cozy coffeehouse. Despite having counter staff, it leaves you feeling neither rushed nor impersonalized. The décor is homey, the staff attentive and the food largely spot on. Dishes range from breakfast pastries to French toast and salads to pasta and sandwiches. They are made using mostly organic, natural and locally produced ingredients. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. At any time of the day, try the hot chocolate — a specialty dark blend with homemade marshmallow and graham cracker crust rim. It’s dessert in a mug. $$. (HHH on 1/2/09).

ASIAN/PACIFIC RIM

Mahalo Grille, 425 Main St., Pleasanton. 925-462-2800, www.MahaloGrille.com. Under new ownership since March, Mahalo has mastered fusion island cuisine under chef Josh Payton. His ability to blend flavors turns classic dishes into never-before-experienced tastes. The pupu platter appetizer is a meal in itself and a fine example of tropical fusion at its best. The seafood is fresh. The hanger steak is ingenious. The service can be spotty, but owners Richard and Gayle Israel are regularly on hand. Be sure to ask what’s not on the menu; that’s where you may find some of the best treasures. $$$. (HHH½ on 11/28/08)

Sichuan Fortune House, 41 Woodsworth Lane, Pleasant Hill. 925-686-9828. As a rare authentic Sichuan restaurant in the East Bay, Sichuan Fortune House is slowly coming into its own with efficient service and authentic flavors. It’s peculiarly located on a side street, but still was packing a full house one year after opening. An ambitious menu features 138 items, including the very satisfying fiery eggplant pancakes and milder-tasting winner seafood delight in a clay pot. $. (HH on 10/24/08)

CALIFORNIA

Havana, 1518 Park St., Alameda. Also 1516 Bonanza St., Walnut Creek. 510-521-0130; www.havanarestaurant.net. This is Cuba take two for Zack Scott, owner of Walnut Creek’s 5-year-old Havana. As with the original, the food here has a tropical edge — an excuse for more mojitos. The official description is California-Cuban. At its best, this translates into a light and flavorful cuisine; other times it seems haphazard, both in taste and presentation. Halibut Seviche is fresh-tasting with generous chunks of fish, diced mango and an occasional black bean. Popular dishes include Plantain Crusted Halibut and Garlic Studded Pork Loin. Stained, cracked concrete floors and vivid 8-foot photos of Cuban street scenes go a long way to evoke Havana, or at least our popular imagination of it, especially after your second mojito. $$. (HH½ on 5/09/08)

FRENCH

Bijou, 1036 B St., Hayward. 510-888-1092; www.bijouexperience.com. Bijou strives for chic, not classic, and serves up some pleasant surprises, although at times it seems to be at cross-purposes in establishing an identity. The décor is eye-popping, very downtown Manhattan for downtown Hayward, but with only a heavy mesh-chain drape between them, the noisy bar competes with the intimate dining room setting. The entrees are nicely seasoned, the sauces imaginative, the desserts delicious. But the small portion sizes left us wishing for more. $$. (HH½ on 10/31/08)

Bistro Liaison, 1849 Shattuck Ave. (at Hearst), Berkeley. 510-849-2155; www.liaisonbistro.com. The “petit plats” and shared platters have drifted away, but Liaison’s core remains: an unapologetically bold country cuisine. Bold comes in two flavors at Liaison — simplicity and intensity. Many classic dishes that Liaison opened with are still there, highlighting local producers and a seasonal twist or two. The dining room, in vivid gold with splashes of burgundy, manages to be both simple and intense — a bon-vivant vibrancy that makes you feel secure, in the way of old money. But with a whole section on Croque Monsieurs, you won’t need Daddy’s credit card to have a good time here. Open for lunch weekdays, brunch weekends and dinner nightly. $$$. (HHH on 3/20/08)

Chevalier, 960 Moraga Road, Lafayette. 925-385-0793. Chef-owner Philippe Chevalier offers upscale, mostly Provençal-inspired dishes in a somewhat overlooked strip mall location. The menu focuses on the South of France, while also offering a few traditional French favorites such as foie gras, French onion soup and coq au vin. Chevalier doesn’t skimp on ingredients, sourcing high-end products such as Mishima Ranch Wagyu beef and Berkshire pork. But it’s on the expensive side, especially considering the bones of this space feel more bistro than resto. $$$. (HH½ on 9/26/08)

Papillon, 37296 Mission Blvd., Fremont, 510-793-6331; www.papillonrestaurant.com/. This unique fine-dining restaurant is not too stuffy or pretentious yet still features white tablecloths and a tuxedo-clad wait staff. Some of the sheen has faded after 31 years in business — chipped plates, cracked tiles and frayed chairs show the restaurant’s age; the service fell short of attentive — but the food is a cut above the rest. Chef Nittra Foreman infuses imagination in her specials, while keeping the regular menu items fresh enough to drive repeat business, evidence by the packed house on a Monday night. Her creativity with sauces and dressings are delightful. And save room for the out-of-this-world desserts. $$$. (HH½ on 1/30/09)

Rendez-Vous Cafe Bistro, 1111 Solano Ave., Albany, 510-527-4111; www.rendezvouscafebistro.com. Cool, stylized images of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc d’Triomphe and other Parisian landmarks march their way across eye-catching, cornflower blue murals in this cozy French bistro on the Berkeley-Albany border. No white tablecloths or stuffiness, just a hip little place to get steak frites, some coq au vin and a dash of panache. The menu features French comfort food — long-simmered stews, onion soup and particularly wonderful desserts, including a Lemon Cream Raspberry Millefeuille and decadent Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Cake. Wine, Kir and beer. $$ (HH½ on 3/27/09)

INDIAN/MIDDLE EASTERN

Aroma Cuisine of India, 3418 Village Drive, Castro Valley. 510-888-9555. The North Indian menu does not assume a sophisticated knowledge of this cuisine and the kitchen is clearly catering to the spice-phobic American palate. You’ll have to ask if you want serious heat. Vegetarians will find plenty of options. If you’re new to Indian cuisine, this is a good place to start with many savory flavors. The simple, yet warm décor make this a quintessential neighborhood restaurant, and the wait staff worked the room efficiently and accommodatingly. $$. (HH on 11/21/08)

Agora Bistro, 443 Main St., Pleasanton. 925-417-0474. With its ship-size wooden beams, yards of brick wall, slate floors and heavy black chandeliers, Agora needs only a roaring fireplace to fully satisfy the dreamy image of a Greek taverna. The lack of flames is made up for with fiery dance music from chef-owner Metin Demirci’s home country of Turkey. Many of the mezethes — Greek small plates — have an authentic tang and touch, but entrees tended toward bland on our visits. Make a meal of the appetizers, including flash-baked prawns with a touch of ouzo and the grilled octopus salad laced with red peppers. Beer and wine. Open daily for lunch and dinner. $$. (HH on 2/03/08)

Mint Leaf Indian Bistro & Wine Bar, 1513 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. 510-540-7900. The Indian restaurant with stylish atmosphere falls flat of what diners expect from Deepak Aggarwal, who brought Khana Peena to Berkeley. Dishes with self-described “innovative, creative flair” actually add up to no more than California flourishes, such as grilled organic vegetables. The tastiest dishes are those taken directly from the North Indian canon: samosas, papadum, dal, also Gobi, biriyani and tandoori meats. We also found when we tried to order that the kitchen often runs out of desserts and drinks. $$. (H½ on 10/17/08)

Turkish Kitchen, 1986 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. 510-540-9997. This is a restaurant Berkeley seems sincerely predisposed to like. Its mural-lined dining room attracts a throng of students and others getting kebap sandwiches to go, gray-haired patrons poring over menus and a smattering of Turkish expats. Chef/owner Mehmet Vural fleshes out a menu of authentic Turkish specialties with a satisfying level of detail. The best things balance vivid flavors with the comforting elements of home cooking. Thick bread, baked in-house by Vural’s wife, Serife, is like a chubby, pocketless pita. Kavurmali is a portion of the yeasty bread stuffed with chunks of lamb. Pizzalike lahmacun has all the elements of a fantastic street-food nibble. Turkish tea and coffee; small collection of wine and beers. Open daily for lunch and dinner. $. (HH½ on 02/28/08)

ITALIAN

Bella Ristorante, 5458 Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord. 925-524-0733; www.bellaristorante.com. Abdel Redouane has done it again, putting similar cuisine from his popular Luna restaurant in a more casual setting. You won’t find tablecloths here, but you will find his exquisite Mediterrean-style Italian dishes. Classics here are served with a twist, such as lasagna with half marinara and half cream sauces. Flavors are authentic — try anything with the pesto. Entrees are garnished with a unique shredded and fried vegetable slaw. Desserts are divine with Redouane’s trademark artistic-designed sauces. With attentive service, Bella is a keeper. $$. (HHH on 4/24/09)

Fiore, 5100 Clayton Road, Suite A14, Concord. 925-969-1887. Expect the full European experience, even if this Italian restaurant sits in a strip mall. Chef Habib Jacifi has stamped his own ingenuity on dishes you might have enjoyed at Concord’s Luna Ristorante, owned by Jacifi’s uncle. He has spiced up his menu with Mediterranean characteristics, classic seafood dishes and carnivorous pleasures, including a gorgeous grilled flank steak and polenta wedge drenched in a Cabernet demi-glaze. Also of note are the sweetness of the spaghetti al pomodoro and smooth finish of the pesto penne. Just be prepared to linger over the delectable cuisine, because like many European restaurants, Fiore takes its time when it comes to service. $$. (HHH on 9/5/08)

La Veranda, 444 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. 925-427-0444. Spot on service, excellent Northern Italian food and idyllic ambience are enhanced by a charming and friendly atmosphere. Guests feel right at home in the intimate dining room or sleek bar area, especially as the noise level remains unobtrusive. The antipasto choices are well-rounded but not overwhelming; the garlic bread is simple in appearance but delicious. The entrees combine fresh ingredients with classic Italian tastes; attention is paid to the sides (the garlic mashed potatoes are exceedingly creamy); and the wood-fire oven baked pizzas are crisp. Plus, save room for the divine chocolate ganache. The service is attentive without being overbearing, making this an all-around exceptional dining experience. $$. (HHH½ on 3/13/09)

Marzano, 4214 Park Blvd., Oakland. 510-531-4500. The focus at this southern Italian bistro is not frill. It’s about simple, recession-friendly fine dining. The folks behind Garibaldi’s have tossed the white tablecloths for a small, focused menu with nothing on it above $15. Neapolitan pizzas are the specialty, as the staff is one of few in the Bay Area to be certified with Verace Pizza Napoletana Association to make Naples-style pizza. We were delighted with the oval and oily Winter Pie, pillow-soft roasted pumpkin, puffs of ricotta, crispy pancetta and black leaf kale on walnut pesto. Non-pizza standouts include the “angry” Wood Oven Braised Chicken All’ Arrabbiata, and the Crisp Fried Chestnut Pumpkin Arancini, fried risotto balls that are the epitome of Sicilian street food. An impressive list of affordable wines made from grapes indigenous to Italy rounds out a pleasing meal at Marzano. $$ (HHH on 1/16/2009).

Melo’s Pizzeria and Pasta, 4433 First St., Livermore. 925-371-4499; www.melospizzapasta.com. Melo’s is back in the family. Brothers Aldo and Louie Senor repurchased and after an extensive renovation, the pizzeria reopened and is better than ever. The menu is impressive and daunting. With 29 pasta choices, including six signature dishes, repeat visits are a must. The bruschetta is divine with tomatoes that mimic the seasoned, tangy sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes while still tasting fresh. The cannelloni packs a rich combination of sausage, beef and cheese and finishes off nicely with a robust meat sauce. But this is a pizza place, and Melo’s delivers authentic New York-style with thin, crisp crust, just the right amount of sauce and no skimping on the toppings. Try Melo’s combination or the popular four-cheese Margherita. Open daily 11 a.m.-9 p.m. $$ (HHH on 8/08/08)

Trattoria Corso, 1788 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. 510-704-8004. Here you can experience all the excitement of a true Florentine trattoria. Ingredients you’ve eaten all your life taste entirely different and foods are regrouped and served in several courses (gone is the large entree). Old-school authenticity is what sets Corso apart from so many Italian eateries. It wants to be a trattoria, complete with the casual atmosphere and lower prices the word implies. In some ways, it’s too casual — the friendly staff could be more helpful — but a meal here is a lot of fun. It’s like getting a taste of Florence, just a little closer to home. $$. (HHH on 8/22/2008)

JAPANESE

Zabu Zabu, 1919 Addison St. (two blocks down from Shattuck), Berkeley. 510-848-9228. All U Can Eat never had such refined possibilities. Platters of pristine beef, lamb and pork are delivered by graceful waitresses in an arty Asian ambience. Bowls of edamame, trays of gyozo and baskets of shumai overflow from table to window sill — with more on the way. For $28, you can have it all. Zabu Zabu, a name that captures well this sleek, slightly esoteric Japanese restaurant, is a play on shabu shabu — the hot-broth fondue that turns carpaccio-thin meats from red to ready in seconds. The restaurant is only a block down from Berkeley Rep and the Aurora Theatre, but, surrounded by industry and tucked in the back of a medical office, it can feel like a world away. Hot and cold sake; limited beer and wine. Open for lunch Tuesdays-Fridays and dinner Tuesdays-Sundays. $$$. (HHH on 03/06/08)

MEXICAN

Casa Latina, 1805 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. 510-558-7177. This tiny spot in Berkeley has a cash-only policy, and some of the most satisfying carnitas this side of Fruitvale Avenue. The carnitas are fantastic in a torta, the best thing Casa Latina makes, thanks to the sandwich’s huge, soft and slipperlike roll called a bolillo — baked in-house, naturally. Tortas are warmed on electric panini griddles with cheese, hunks of tomato, romaine and roasted jalapeños. Toasted in extra virgin olive oil so they crisp, even occasionally blacken, they end up floppy, salty, spicy and satisfyingly meaty — a darn good sandwich, in other words. Top it off with one of the 50 cent, lard-free, shell-shaped buns called conches. Housemate aguas frescos, organic espresso, fresh-squeezed orange and carrot juices. $. (HH on 11/29/07)

Cocina Medina, 5005 Lone Tree Way #A, Antioch. 925-753-1968. The restaurant’s sunny Mexican charm is accentuated by the authentic flavors of family recipes from Guadalajara and excellent service. It’s easy to see why Cocina Medina thrives with repeat business. The straight forward menu features accessible ingredients that are still distinct. The fajitas are a house specialty and the classic combos are a great way to sample the variety of flavors served up here. $$. (HH 1/2 on 4/17/09)

NEW WORLD/CARIBBEAN

Miss Pearl’s Jam House, Jack London Square, 1 Broadway, Oakland. 510-444-7171. TV personality and cookbook author Joey Altman is a consulting chef who has helped create a New World/Caribbean menu with scatterings of Asian Rim, Creole and Cajun influences. Fans of the original Miss Pearl’s will relish that old favorites such as black-eyed pea fritters and crispy catfish “fingers” now mingle with new offerings, including the impish “mini skirt with nice buns” (three skirt steak sliders). The menu is energetic and eclectic, but most options are more familiar than exotic and lacking in a bold taste to match their descriptions. The restaurant’s design channels whimsical Miss Pearl and makes the most of electric Bay views. $$$. (HH½ on 10/10/08)

NIGHT LIFE

Cock-A-Doodle Cafe, 719 Washington St., Oakland. 510-465-5400. Lazy summer nights call for festive food with heat and cocktails to cool you down. The combination is a sweet one at this Latin-inspired brunch spot that offers salsa tunes, an outdoor mojito bar (tamarind or hibiscus, you won’t be sorry) and tapas with twinges of Peru and Cuba through September. Try the Sopa de Tinga corn cakes topped with braised shredded chicken in a smoky chipotle marinade. If you miss the summer stylings of chef Blanca Arechiga, you’ll just have to settle for her much-buzzed-about Seviche Benedict year-round — hardly settling. $$. (HH on 7/25/08)

SEAFOOD

Walnut Creek Yacht Club, 1555 Bonanza St. (at Locust Street), Walnut Creek. 925-944-3474; www.wcyc.net. After a major expansion, this restaurant’s appeal — more evident than ever, now that the space is bigger — is to wrap fish-house traditions in a vivid persona that rarely seems to overwhelm the basic concept. On any given day, you can order one of a dozen types of fish and get it grilled, blackened or sauteed. Among them: a pillowy slab of Alaskan halibut, a surprisingly delicate hunk of catfish. The tiny bay shrimp in the seafood cocktail come from a packing company in Fort Bragg. Another menu fixture, the wedge of iceberg lettuce, is infused with a complex wallop of flavor. $$$. (HHH on 6/27/08)

Flying Fish Grill, Highway 92 and Main Street, Half Moon Bay. 650-712-1125. Located on a dirt lot, this gem is hard to find but worth it for the legendary fish tacos, grilled or fried. The shack is cozy, colorful and affordable but a step up from a fish taqueria stand with its fresh fish dishes, clam chowder, fish wraps and sandwiches. Fresh and healthy food top the menu. The sweet potato fries are a nice surprise, too. $$. (HH½ on 12/5/08)

THAI/VIETNAMESE

Anchalee, 1094-96 Dwight Way (at San Pablo Avenue), Berkeley. 510-848-4015; www.anchaleethai.com. Bangkok-born chef Chuck Natasiri — longtime cook at Amarin, a popular Thai restaurant in Lafayette — has struck out on his own in West Berkeley, in a handsome space with a touch of the serene. Named after the chef’s wife (she works as a server), Anchalee excels at a style of cooking mostly popular with non-Thais: classic dishes with bright flavors, in which the bolder tastes of fish sauce and chiles are kept in check. Natasiri has a way with vegetables, some of which are organic. Beer and wine. Open for lunch and dinner daily. $$. (HH on 4/25/08)

Bronze Buddha, 5434 Ygnacio Valley Road (in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center), Concord. 925-524-0768. With a mirrored ceiling, white upholstered chairs, and golden walls and chandeliers, Bronze Buddha has an atmosphere of luxury. The real pampering, however, starts with the service. While the menu sets itself apart with upscale California-fusion offerings, our favorites were the classics, such as the curries, Tom Kha (coconut soup) and Pad See Ewe (chewy flat noodles with dark soy). With prices a notch higher than other Thai restaurants, more attention needs to be paid to the basics, such as properly cooked rice. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Wine and beer. $$. (HH½ on 6/06/08)

Erawan2, 414 Ferry St., Martinez, 925-313-9185. The cool pachyderm artwork and the wooden menus with their elephant carvings grabbed our attention first at Erawan2 — an offshoot of the popular, 3-year-old Thai restaurant in Walnut Creek. But that menu brims with enticing, agonizing options. Pineapple curry prawns over jasmine rice? A creamy Red Curry, with coconut milk, fresh basil and just enough heat to bathe the tender strips of beef, bamboo shoots and delicate vegetables? Or the beautifully marinated chicken medallions? All delicious. Wine and beer. $. (HHH on 2/13/09)

Pho Asian Bistro, Hacienda Crossing, 4920 Dublin Blvd., No. 420, Dublin. 925-833-0746; www.phoasianbistro.com. With no more than a dozen tables, Pho Asian Bistro could have been a classic hole-in-the-wall, except that the combination of creamy, pale yellow walls, mosaic tile and simple art — white figurines and colorful parasols — is so darn chic. And the menu, which boasts a delicious array of appetizers, steaming bowls of pho, savory rice plates with grilled meats, and one of the best desserts we’ve had anywhere, is a godsend not just for the palate, but the pocketbook. Don’t miss the outstanding Rock-n-Roll Beef over Rice — tender bites of steak, sauteed peppers, a small dome of savory rice, and carrots and Daikon radish cut into delicate flower shapes — or the golden, crisp dumplings filled with molten banana slices, drizzled with chocolate and served alongside rich vanilla ice cream liberally laced with crisp, toasted coconut shreds. Open Tuesdays-Sundays for lunch and dinner. Beer and wine. $ (HHH on 1/9/09)